lion and the snake
by Billybob - csagun36
Summary: Ron-Hermione ships are getting harder and harder to find, with loads of stories under that category thinly-disguised justification for Hermione to dump Ron for Draco.  So what if she gets the real Draco as JK Rowling wrote him


Title: the snake and the lion

Chapter – 'ONE-SHOT'

Author: Billybob

Category: AU, alternate universe /charmed-ones crossover

PDH = Post–deadly-hallows …non epilog compliant

Word count: 17,903

Pairings: Ron/OC

Warning (one): I wrote this in open rebuttal of those Dramione fanfiction writers who lure the reader in …by declaring their story a Ron-Hermione ship …only to have Granger leave her husband/boyfriend in the end of the tale …to be with …guess who? How pathetic can you get, are those Draco-lovers so hard-up for readers that the have to torpedo the – in cannon - 'true' love of Grangers life. (Yuck) This misidentifying trick is becoming quite popular recently at Fanfiction (dot) net.

Now, let me make myself clear …I have no axe to grind with any honest DmHJG shipper, provided there is no Ron bashing involved. If they can weave a tale that is believable …meaning wherein DM is still somewhat cannon-correct… characteration wise …yet still manages to win HJG heart …more power to them. (Regretfully) This trend in justifying Ron losing Mione to Draco through stupidity, cheating or abuse is becoming more and more dominate via these Ron Hermione **mislabeled** fanfiction.

So dear reader, I'm going to humor the Dramione fans… so this is a tale wherein Draco wins and gets Hermione, but she gets the Draco that JKR portrayed in her books and **not** the reformed into a nice-guy that Dramione fans always seem to morph him into. _**What if;**_ Granger chose to be with the in-cannon Draco in spite of his faults and at what cost to both of them.

This tale will not be flattering to Hermione, so those of you who worship the Granger and put her on the pedestal of perfection …are in for a disappointment. I frankly don't think that she could find happiness with the same arrogant pure-blood bigot **Ferret** that JKR described in all seven books, but let's assume in this tale that she tries.

Secondly this is a crossover tale with the T.V series Charmed. It combinds an older witch (cougar) and a younger wizard from Hogwarts. I've tried to stay as close to cannon to HP and Charmed as any AU story can get,

enjoy

Author's standard disclaimer: This story is based in the world created by J. K. Rowling, she owns all legal rights to the characters, setting, etc. - I am merely borrowing the contents of the JKR world for my own amusement and that of my **few** readers. In other words…her characters…my plot…savvy?

OoOoOoOo

Roll film …prolog

**Late June; 2005**

OoOoOoOo

It was a great party, and Ron was happy that he had managed to attend. Had he not been unexpectedly sacked …four days ago …from one of his two part time jobs in Canada …the youngest brother of George Weasley might not have made to the wedding. Angelina Johnson looked beautiful in bridal-white, and the deliciously-happy woman seemed to glow at the thought of becoming a Weasley.

At that moment; there were only two of Molly and Arthur's brood still free of the bonds of holy matrimony. Charlie in Romania was now assistant director of the Dragon preserve and married …to his job. There were few women attracted to 'Dragon Handling' as a profession and as Charlie had once pointed-out in an owl-post …and these… 'Ladies' tended to have the figure of a lorry, the muscles of a stevedore and the face of a deformed pit-bull. Feminine wiles were of no use in controlling a Dragon and luckily for the Ladies that Charlie worked with …they were not cursed with any.

The other still single Weasley was Ron himself, seven years after the _**'Battle of Hogwarts'**_ and he was still romantically unattached. He had dated and come close to wedlock three times during his life …so far - falling victim on the second occasion to the run-away-bride syndrome. She'd been a Canadian-Muggle and it was generally believed that she ran-way on her wedding day because she just couldn't cope with the concept of magic actually working.

The other and more recent heartbreak for Ron, his third attempt to tie the knot… his second proposal during his self-imposed exile from England… had been with an American and a Witch. This lady was nine years older than Ron and the recent-widow of a half-demon lawyer, named; Belthazor Cole Turner;

Ron often chuckled at the American concept of a half-demon in human form, because he too had encountered in his day 'demons' like Voldemort. And Ron believed that Turner had been one real bastard… the American version of a British death-eater style solicitor.

During the course of her marriage; Mrs. Turner had been put through the seven levels of emotional-hell by her spilt-personality spouse; to the point that after his death… she had quite-literally given-up on love. So; when the already batting a negative-thousand in the love department; Ron… worked-up the courage to propose for the third time, the lady in question… had turned him down …hard and cold.

Of course;… Ron's **first** and most humiliating marital attempt had happened in the year directly after the death of Voldemort's while working for George at the Joke shop Weasley Wizarding Wonders. Just before Boxing-day 1998 …Ron …who was formally engaged at the time …received in the post …what the Americans call a '**Dear John Letter**' from his fiancée; Hermione Jean Granger.

In ten feet of parchment she categorized by relative importance… her well thought-out theory as to why she felt marriage to Ron was unthinkable. This thesis was logical, and totally devoid of emotion …as if it was an abstract research project concerning the infeasibility of the cross-breeding a hippogriff with a house cat.

Ron instantly apparated to the Granger home for a face to face confrontation only to discover that the wards surrounding the large Granger estate had been deliberately altered to deny him entrance …his attempt to speak with her at Hogwarts after the Christmas holiday was blocked by a 'Wizengamot Restraining Order.' Harry when reached by post at the Auror Academy was just as gob-smacked as Ron had been by this unexpected turn of events.

It was Ginny, as Head-Girl for that year …that forced her way into having a private conversation in a seventh-year dorm with, Granger; thus providing the real reason behind the break-up. Apparently Hermione wasn't the only student to repeat their seventh year at Hogwarts. At first; Ginny had refused to pass on to her family …either the evil rumors she had heard or what the very emotionally-detached Hermione had told her …thinking them lies …but then in early March an engagement announcement appeared in the _**Daily Prophet**_ that hit the Weasley family exceptionally hard.

_**Narcissa Malfoy along with Dennis and Sylvia Granger are proud to announce the engagement of Draco Black Malfoy to Miss Hermione Jean Granger. The young couple first-met at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry while attending classes there… they plan to marry directly after graduation in June …with details still pending**_.

Upon reading this vile announcement; Arthur Weasley, immediately apparated directly to Hogwarts and demanded a face to face confrontation with Hermione. A very distraught Headmistress McGonagall was waiting for him at the _**Entrance Hall**_ and explained as they walked to her office …that she had already ruled-out potions and the Imperious-curse.

It took several hours for Hermione to convince Minerva and Arthur that her 'love' for Draco was even remotely genuine. And before he finally left to report back to Molly, as the patriarch of the Weasley Clan …he informed the fiancée of the much hated Malfoy, that the welcome mat for her and her new family at the Burrow was now permanently revoked …that she and Draco would be denied entrance to the Burrow in the same fashion as she had denied his youngest son at the Granger residence.

Arthur called her a coward for not tell Ron the truth to his face and went on to say in part; "You have chosen the son of a Death-Eater over us. The same boy who did nothing as his Aunt _**tortured you**_ in Malfoy Manor and then later tried to kill-you in the room-of-requirement during the 'Battle of Hogwarts," Arthur spat with distain.

"As I have already pointed out …more than once," Hermione replied in a very put-upon frustrated tone. "Draco was under the imperious-curse of Voldemort's casting at the time. With the death of Tom Riddle and his father two months later, Draco was finally set free of the Death-Eater domination of every aspect of his life. When he returned to Hogwarts to repeat his seventh-year …I got to interact for the first time with the real Draco, the charming and kindhearted part of his personality long suppressed by his evil abusive-father. I fell in love with him in short-order… as he did with me.

"Your son and Harry have been like brothers to me, we grew-up together. I realized one day that although I liked Ron a-lot …marriage to a brother-figure was just unthinkable. I have already written to both of them why I felt that Ron and I have no romantic future together and Harry at least had the maturity to accept it without all this fuss".

That was the last straw and the last time Arthur Weasley spoke to Hermione Granger. Ginny also avoided the new Malfoy wench like the plague for the remainder of term. Only one more time did Ginny mention the Granger name in any owl-post home to her family and that was in late May …when she confirmed the Daily-Prophet speculation that the future Mrs. Hermione Granger-Malfoy had indeed… fallen pregnant.

OoOoOoOo

Harry, as everyone expected …had been more or less totally cut-off from both of his friends during his three years of non-stop intense-training at the Auror Academy. He had politely-declined the offer of the special permission required to leave the Auror School to attend the Granger-Malfoy wedding.

When Harry finally emerged from the Academy as a Auror, it was two full-years after Granger's high-society wedding to Malfoy; He had lost almost-all contact with Ginny, who was in her second year playing professional Quidditch for the Holyhead Harpies as a chaser,

Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy was a spoiled two-year-old, and his Mother; Hermione, was the toast of the Wizarding Society attending on her husbands'-arm all of the premier social events of the mega-rich. Her pictures appeared in too numerous to count Wizarding magazines as solid-proof of the Malfoy family reformation from supporters of Voldemort's into perfect citizens on the side of law and order.

Hermione herself was fully engrossed in her work as a magical solicitor, working as a full-partner and _part-owner_… of one of the premiere Wizarding Law-firms of Great Britain. Harry made no attempt to contact his old friend, after getting out of the academy and for her part, Hermione behaved as if she had never known the boy who lived, having not written to Harry more than once during his three years of training.

OoOoOoOo

As for Ron, him-self, when the news of Hermione's pregnancy had finally reached him …it proved to be the final-straw for the heartbroken teenager. Within days of hearing it, the boy who had always wore his heart on his sleeve …had declared at a family gathering that "England was too-small to contain him and the new Mrs. Malfoy".

His parents understood completely his need to be elsewhere during 'the' Wizarding Wedding of that year …their honest mistake was in thinking that Ron would come home after a few months. In this they were very-very wrong. For Ron packed up his pitifully few belongings …collected his wages from George …emptied his Gringotts account and just disappeared off the face of the earth. There was no record of his departure from the country at the international pork-key office and zero sighting of him on the continent.

In fact…it took Harry four years after Hermione's-nuptials to track-down his best-mate in western Canada. After fifteen months with no word …Ron had begun to write home at least once a month, just to reassure his family that he hadn't died. But in each letter, he had deliberately declined to say what he was doing or where he was living …and the post-marks on each owl-post where different.

With no way to write back …or more importantly drag him by the ear back to the Burrow, Molly was reluctantly compelled to accept the bitter-fact that the Malfoy-wench had driven her son out of the country. By the time Ron reestablished contact via owl-post nearly two years later. The Weasley's had plenty of reasons to hate the new Mrs. Malfoy …Ron's often stated determination to remain far from England for a "fresh-start" away from …painful memories …only added fuel to the fire of loathing.

From that point onward …until Harry got a tip passed on to him from Ginny… via a owl post note that she had gotten from an old friend and neighbor… the ever-traveling in search of bizarre creatures; Luna Lovegood… saying that she'd seen Ron working as a part-time fry-cook in a bar in the small town of Coven in mid-July of 2003. Prior to that 'sighting' …all communication with the self-exiled Weasley had been one-way.

Coven was a small… all-Wizarding community located approximately two hundred odd-miles north-east of Vancouver, Canada. No one in the tiny-village where he lived …knew-squat about Hogwarts, or his minor-role as the best-mate of the now… internationally-famous; Harry Potter… the Chosen-one who had defeated the British dark-wizard; Voldemort. In fact nine out of ten Canadians' had never even heard of Tom Riddle or his Death Eaters.

Ron had told Harry, repeatedly… after he had appeared unexpected at his workplace a few weeks later. How much he liked being unrecognized …and I mean loads. And he spent hours explaining his joy at being a non-entity again …during the four day camping trip he took Harry on during his vacation the wilderness …north of Vancouver.

**(Begin flashback)**

"Look …Harry …I've got a life here, I've moved on."

"As a short-order cook in a bloody-pub? Don't make me laugh! You could have been an Auror …with me.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Harry;" Ron said with a resigned sigh. "Kingsley reneged on his promise to take me into the Auror program without finishing seventh-year …the same N.E.W.T's year… that **you **didn't take.

"He told me that the directors of the Academy had a hissy-fit about the special tutors they had to acquire _**out-of-pocket**_ to get me through the charms …transfiguration and potions portions of the training." Harry said totally surprised. "He said he offered you tutors … but you declined due to the Hermione relationship meltdown. He said …."

"…Bullocks, Harry," Ron interrupted. "Ask my dad … he was there when Kingsley told us both …rather bluntly …that the special '_**deal**_' offered to the Chosen One no longer applied to his …and I quote; "drop-out best-mate"

"He lied to me".

"Of course he did… had you quit the Auror program over me …one year in …he'd had been sacked as Minister faster than you could say "Bob's-your-Uncle" Ron snorted.

"When did you get so smart?

"Me - smart?" Ron snorted. "Don't be daft. I'm thicker than a post about political stuff'…my dad on the other hand …has been in the Ministry all his working life. I think Dad half-expected it to happen …the moment we went our separate ways. With me in London working with George and you isolated at the Academy …with the Ministry controlling all communication in-and-out to you …then add into the mix… my-dad being threatened with getting sacked if you ever found out… "

"Well I know now."

"And you'll do exactly what?" Ron snorted. "You've finished the course, you're been an Auror for years now. You're going to give all that up …for the trio's clown …that doesn't even live in the U.K. anymore. No, Harry; let it go. I'll tell you what …I'll come back to England …for your wedding to Ginny …which you tell me… is set for the last full week of this August.

"To stay?", Harry asked becoming excited.

"Hell-no," Ron replied with a snort. "I've got a world-class career going gang-buster right-here as a **chef** of a four star restaurant."

"You're a ruddy fry-cook in a bloody-pub."

"Only during the summer-hol, I have _**another**_ part-time job to cover the rest of the year's living expenses. Besides …I'll have you know …in a town as small as Coven, _that Pub_ is as close to a four-star restaurant as you can get around here. We boast a full menu; steaks, sea-food, soups as well as the usual burgers," Ron said with mocking pride.

"You know …I never knew you could cook," Harry said genuinely amazed.

"When you love food as much as I do, learning to cook becomes a very-necessary fixation," Ron admitted with a chuckle. "Mum would never let me fix anything for you when you stayed at the Burrow, because she said you were my guest and my first duty was to entertain you."

"What a load of rubbish," Harry retorted. "Still… if you want to be a chef _**so bad**_ there are plenty of restaurants in London."

"_**She's**_ in London, Harry"

"I thought you said you'd moved on? Bloody-hell Ron …it's been four years since she married the ferret."

"It's a work-in-progress …okay. I'm not sitting at home pining away for her like a love-sick teenager. I've dated other girls …even asked one to marry me"

"But she didn't measure-up …is that it?"

"Nope …I'm the one that didn't make the muster," Ron bemoaned. "She couldn't handle me being magical. She was nothing like; Hermione, I wanted to try the polar opposite as I struck-out so badly with the witch-bookworm type. Maybe I'll never get over Granger, for the blonde I proposed to… who-was as dumb as a post I might add… and worked out no-better for me, than smartest witch of our age did.

"That I lost Granger to the ferret …of all people …is what really burns my butt. I never saw that coming …I can tell you that much. It's ironic really, for my biggest fear use to be losing her to you. I even abandoned you for a-bit because I thought she had chosen you over me …remember?"

"The locket …How could I forget," Harry replied sadly.

"So …no, Harry. I can't live in the same country _**she**_ does. I can't see her looking lovingly up at the ferret on the cover of dozens of celebrity-magazines every week. I'm just too immature …too much of a coward …**or** …not a big enough masochist …to handle that kind of heart-ache; day-in… day-out.

"The tragic thing is. Half of me is actually-glad… that she's found happiness …while the other part of me is jealous as hell.

**OoOoOoOo **

"You've got a nice tent," Ron;" Harry said suddenly feeling the need for a drastic change of subject.

"Yeah; got a great deal on the price too? Bought it in London at a small shop just-down from George's place …it had been a special order by a half-blood family as a get-away bolt-hole …during the Muggleborn purges after the DE's took over the Ministry. Never picked-up …sad to say …the whole family ended-up executed by Dolores Umbridge.

Euwh … Ron …that's gross, doesn't staying in it give you the creeps?

"Nope …it's not haunted… if that's what you're wondering. But its tragic history made it un-sellable to most customers; luckily… I'm not the squeamish type. After all we've been through; a tent not picked-up at a shop …because the bloke who ordered it got murdered… doesn't faze me at all.

"And besides; just-think of what I got for seventy-seven percent off; four bedrooms, two bath's with magically unlimited hot and cold running water, a magical septic tank …and every single-inch insulated for all temperature extremes …from the Arctic to the Sahara, with unlimited central heating and air conditioning.

"And finally… fully furnished …you could literally live in this place year round," Harry added genuinely impressed.

"And that's exactly what I did after I left England… for months and months, to tell you the truth," Ron admitted. "I took a trip across the Atlantic on a Muggle passenger-carrying container-ship and then …"

"…Is that how you got-out of England undetected… the Muggle way? But how did you know …where to arrange something like that?" Harry interrupted feeling puzzled.

"Hermione … it was a recurring dream of hers …to travel on what she called a '_**tramp-steamer**_' to Australia or New Zealand for a walkabout. She fell in love with '_Down-under_' when she went there to fetch her parents after the war.

"So that's why you bought such a fancy tent?"

"Yeah …ironic isn't it?" Ron said in a resigned tone. "I bought the tent and looked into booking passage on the container-ship for a surprise honeymoon gift for Hermione after she graduated; you-known …the _**make-her-dream-come-true**_-bit.

"But when she dumped me instead and then fell into the pudding club with the ferret. I modified my original plan to sail directly to Australia with my …" Ron said his voice fading into whispered despair at the end… "Into an escape plan and changed the route into a walk-about… across Canada.

"And Coven?" Harry asked.

"Was as far as I got before my money ran-out… George didn't pay all that well," Ron admitted honestly. "A few more years of part-time jobs and I'll have saved enough gold to resume my journey west."

"With the final destination being?," Harry asked.

"Wellington, New Zealand," Ron replied with genuine enthusiasm.

"Why there?"

"My Canadian boss …the Bar's owner …is a Muggle-born and he introduced me to Muggle cinema and a device called a DVD player. His favorite book was made into a motion-picture film called; "_**The Lord of the Ring's**_" with the entire-trilogy made in New Zealand. I've been told that the folks that live there speak understandable English, there're very friendly toward visitors …and to top it all off, in a small town just outside of Wellington is one of the biggest Wizarding communities in the south pacific.

**OoOoOoOo**

**End flashback;**

**OoOoOoOo**

Two-years after his sister's wedding, he'd come back to England again… for George's try at wedlock …freshly sacked from his main part-time posting …literally returning to square-one. Ron's gold reserve not all that larger than when he had left six years previously. He had visited England for one week in late August each year after Harry had first found him …sneaking in and then back-out of the Burrow with none of his old school-mates even aware …most of the time …of his presence in the country.

The one and only exception to this '_**tell no-one I'm here**_' rule was when he played best man at his little-sister's well publicized wedding to Harry. In spite of rigidly tight security; a pool reporter was permitted to cover the event along with only one photographer …Dennis Creevey, brother of the heroically-fallen Colin.

Dennis tastefully shot three hundred magically-moving pictures …most of which found their way into the fifty-page …special edition of the Daily-Prophet …dedicated to the equivalent of a Wizarding Royal Wedding. Although miss-identified in **all** the captions of all the pictures in which he appeared… as; _**Rupert Grint-Prewett, **_an allegedly very-distant, third-cousin of Molly Prewett-Weasley… from Kent. Ron's presence at the wedding did not go unnoticed, by a certain Slytherin romantic-rival that still hated him with a burning passion.

Completely unaware of the covert pictures being taken by an uninvited '_**Witch-Weekly**_' freelance photo-journalist who shot three rolls of film under an invisibility-cloak during his brother George nuptials. Ron unknowingly posed like a male-fashion-model with a glass of Champaign in his hand …feeling very relaxed in his last-minute-rented classic-tuxedo.

These covert photographs were taken as he stood …next to the side table …where his highly-temperamental …extremely pregnant… and recently _legally-separated_ and soon to be divorced; sister, Ginevra Molly Potter sat … bitterly looking-on at George's wedding-blissfulness with open distain. And Gin-gin had loads of reason to feel bitter as the publicly humiliated estranged-wife of the womanizer… often-cheating… scandalized National Hero …Harry Potter.

A Wizard who's picture had appeared on the cover of the _**Daily Prophet**_ that very morning as the co-defendant to Astoria Greengrass-Nott divorce-proceedings …as brought by Astoria's cuckold-husband; Theo Nott.

Ron had been assigned to 'look-after' his baby-sister at the wedding, as he was the only one without a-date. Harry had been advised to be a no-show for the nuptials, and thankfully… he'd done right… by not being there. Ginny …as a bridesmaid to Angelina had to attend and she frankly… didn't want to be there either.

Unable to drink for it might hurt the Potter offspring in her belly …the eight month with-child Ginny spent the vast majority of George's wedding… venting the downside of being a celebrity-wife to Ron… who once again thanked the powers-up-above for being overlooked by fate. Hermione was sort-of competing every-day for space in the newspapers with Harry… who couldn't go to the Loo without it becoming a media event.

"_Thank-Merlin I got over my hunger for fame during fourth year_." Ron said to himself, as he sipped his fire whiskey and listen to how being Harry's wife had forced Ginny out of professional Quidditch. He actually felt sorry for his sister living in a fish-bowl of media attention as a semi-prisoner in her own-home, unable to go anywhere without hired-bodyguards. The very-company he kept that night; ensuring his appearance in most of the newspapers and magazines of Wizarding England the following morning.

Little did Ron know that fate was about to take considerable interest in the media overlooked wandering Weasley? His prophesized destiny had been mess-with and the tri-sisters of fate and providence are never denied **their-will** for very-long

OoOoOoOo

**Forty-two days later**.

OoOoOoOo

"Hello Harry," Hermione said from the door to his office at the ministry. Looking-up from his paperwork, Harry frowned.

"You're not supposed to be within one hundred meters of me, Lady Malfoy," Harry snarled with anger underlining each word. "Your Husband retraining-order forbids any 'Gryffindor' from coming anywhere your family. I think he fears contamination.

"I had nothing to do with that, Harry," she replied firmly

"Nor have you lifted a finger to remove it, and it's been in force five years now.

"It hasn't been that long… has it? Hermione said genuinely surprised as she stepped inside his office and began to close the door.

"You're a busy woman Milady," Harry said with stiff formality. "I'm told you work twelve to fourteen hour days, seven days a week I assume with such a heavy workload it would be easy to lose-tract of time... among other things …like childhood friends.

"Feeling neglected; Harry?"

"Not by you; thank-Merlin… and would you kindly leave my office door open," Harry asked before the door was half closed, "Your husband is very short-tempered and would be most upset if one of his '**processions**' were to be found in a room alone with someone other than its **owner.**

"I don't belong to Draco like a piece of property."

"And yet your husband and mother-in-law **sold** seven parts of you… a month or-so-ago …" Harry began as he got up walked over to his door… right past a furiously gob-smacked Hermione… to force the door all the way open. Leaning out of it… he said in a commanding tone; "Mark …Matt could you both come in here a moment,"

"Two young men in their early twenties rushed into the' bosses' office, "You called Mr. Potter?"

"Yes lads, Lady Malfoy is in violation of a restraining order restricting her proximity to mine," Harry said as he returned to his desk. "As she has a reputation as a barrister of not breaking the law without a very good reason… I can only assume that her presence in my office is part of a carefully worked-out legal ploy.

"HARRY!" Hermione said offended

"Matt go up to court room number nine and as Minister Shacklebolt if he'd come down here to oversee this illegal encounter. As for you; Mark; as long as Lady Malfoy is in the department of Law enforcement… I need an objective-witness to everything that is said… so that it's not used against me in court, at a later date.

"HARRY… STOP IT". Hermione shouted and then in a more reasonable tone, "I'm not your enemy".

"With all due respect Lady Malfoy, your Lord and Master, Draco, has expressed in public and to the press - often enough - his sincere-wish for my career's destruction. As you have made no statements to the contrary… I see no reason to believe that a woman I have not said ten-words too… face-to-face… in six years, would suddenly break her vow of silence and the law …just to make a social-call.

"This is not a social call; I'm here to get my property back.

"You're here to report a robbery?"

"Not exactly, the situation is admittedly, complex …legally, that's why I wanted a _**private **_conversation with you about it …" Hermione said awkwardly.

"…Are we by chance referring to the seven items sold by your family to the Ministry several-weeks ago? Harry said, interrupting the expensively dressed woman in his office.

"They were taken from me without my consent.

"Lady Malfoy, as a barrister you of all people know our law. The transaction between the Ministry and the so-called 'noble' house of Malfoy… was legal in every respect. Your husband as the Head of the Malfoy household had every right to do his will with any or all of his processions.

I'M NOT A - _**POCESSION**_ - DAMMIT! Hermione screamed losing her temper, momentarily.

"A wife; by pure-blood tradition **and **magical law… is owned body-and soul by her Lord husband." Harry said with an amused smirk. "That some people, such as the poor-as-dirt Weasley's don't regard women as chattel… is a matter of preference. They deliberately ignore the law… as do I.

"She's making you look like a fool Harry." Hermione spat-back instinctively in self-defense. "She is cuckolding you in the same way that Astoria has with Theo." But the words were barely out of her mouth before she knew she'd made a huge mistake … as Harry's face shut-down …draining of all emotion.

"What Ginny is doing to me… is well deserved; Lady Malfoy," Harry said in a cold monotone. "_**Unlike you**_, my soon to be ex-wife had every reason to believe that her husband; would be faithful to her sexually. Theo went to a-lot of expense to get-the-goods on Astoria and me… just as I went to loads of trouble to be discrete; so as to not embarrass Ginny… can you say the same for Draco? This morning's _**Daily Prophet**_ has photos of your husband and his current mistress, Astoria's sister… Daphne, together lying-starkers' on one of the nude beaches of Monaco…"

"…don't go-there; Harry, my relationship with Draco is none of your business," Hermione snarled. "We've had an understanding about such things… right from the off and it works for us.

"Of course Lady Malfoy, please forgive me," Harry said with forced humility. "As I live in a glass house, what right do I have to throw stones at yours?

"Exactly," Hermione said smugly. "Now as I understand it, the seven items **stolen** from me… have-been transferred to a private citizen for safekeeping. As you continue to insist that I cannot legally… press charges against the Ministry for theft. What about a charge of receiving stolen property against…?

"How did you find out that Ron has them?

"I have my sources." Again Hermione acted smugly her famous know-it all attitude in full-force.

"Well ten points to the arrogant Malfoy, but knowing he has them, doesn't make them stolen.

"Harry's right; Lady Malfoy, we in the Ministry have been through this a dozen times already with the chief justice of the Wizengamot. Those seven viable-eggs of yours… were legally purchased in exchange for half the Malfoy assets seized by the Ministry at the end of the war." Minister Shacklebolt said from the door.

"We have your witnessed signature on the bill-of sale. That you're regretting now… that your husband; acting within his lawful rights …compelled you to surrender seven viable reproductive tissues masses …Items that you had, by your own admission… no intention of using yourself… to produce more Malfoy heirs …is not the Ministry's problem.

"I will not have seven magically created copies of me wandering about the U.K.," Hermione spat furiously. "I've heard rumors that the Department of Mysteries is once again exploring the usefulness of the German dopenhanger-experiments of the 1940's…"

"Sweet Merlin …the gall …the arrogance". Kingsley said laughing outright. "Potter told me that you were full-of-yourself at Hogwarts, but this takes the cake. I hate to burst your bubble… but '_**NO**_' the Ministry had no desire to make seven magical copies of **you**.

"Then what did the Ministry want with my eggs?" Hermione demanded. "Why did you turn them over to the most immature Weasley of the lot? I've had a half-dozen hired-detectives looking for Ron night and day for the past week and all they can tell me is that he's 'somewhere' in the United Kingdom.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley is doing a special-job for the Ministry under the protection of a Fidelius Charm. Where he is and what he is doing …is not your concern.

"As long as you have my eggs, you have a part of me; that-alone makes it my concern.

"Are you saying that you did the '_**Shunning Ritual**_' incorrectly?

"Of course not!," Hermione snarled, feeling highly offended.

"Have you tested it, done a locator spell recently? Searched for viable-eggs _**connected to you**_ by blood, magic or law?" Kingsley asked firmly.

"Several times just-today and all I got for my trouble …was the location of Scorpius."

"Then the only biological offspring connection to you in anyway… within the United Kingdom is your one and only child… what more do you want?

"I want those eggs destroyed," Hermione spat franticly. "I can sense them somehow… I know that some have faded …but a few of them still live and have grown magically-stronger.

"Lady Malfoy you're acting irrationally. The _**Shunning Ritual**_ severs-permanently any tie between you and those bits of flesh. You can't be sensing them magically; as I'm equally-sure you've researched all-this properly.

"Don't be daft, of course I have," Hermione snapped short-tempered. "It's just during the last fortnight …I've had recurring dreams of two children; a boy and a girl …that look like me …with blue-eyes…."

"…Are you now a seer, Lady Malfoy, granted the gift of foresight?" Kingsley asked with heavy scorn. "If you've had a premonition of **future** children… then go to France …and drag your womanizer husband out from between Daphne's legs. For Draco is the only wizard who might want to risk… frost-bite to give you more offspring's to neglect.

"Now see here Minister." Hermione said feeling outraged and insulted.

"It is well known; Lady Malfoy, that you are a total-workaholic," Harry interjected softly. "You're a brilliant barrister, and have put in long hours to earn your ruthless 'shark' reputation. It is equally well known, that you have no time to waste on family …that your mother-in-law is brining-up your son and that your attendance at social events has more to do with work-related networking… than anything even remotely personal.

"Not you too, Harry," Hermione said disappointed.

"It's all true, isn't it?" Harry asked sternly. "I use to think that your rejection of Ron was a cruel twist of fate. Under the theory of; 'no good deed goes unpunished' …that someone had to pay for our victory over Voldemort and destiny had chosen our side-kick to pay for; your happy-ever-after great-career and my never-ending fame.

"But think-about it… have we really been all that lucky, Hermione?" Harry asked in all seriousness. "You made a bargain with the devil… Draco Malfoy; you gave his family instant-redemption from their Death-eater crimes, and a single male heir to carry on that bloodline. But you couldn't transform a charmingly-good-looking… bad-boy-snake in a nice-guy that respects you …like Ron would have.

"About Ron …in recent years I've…" Hermione began, only to be cut-off by Harry's non-stop rant.

"…Draco cheats on you constantly while insisting that you stay chase. You got your; paid-for partnership in a famous Magical Law-Firm …but late at night …alone in bed …who's there to listen to the details of your latest legal success. Where is the Ron-substitute to cuddle-with …telling you how smart you are?

"You're throwing stones, Harry," Hermione said softly… unable to deny any of it.

"You think I'm any better-off?" Harry snorted back in disgust. "When I was twelve having girls worship me was a pain… but add ten years to those same girls …fill out their figures with luscious-curves and give them the desire to shag my brains-out… and I – I… ended-up; yielding to temptation. I'm addicted to easy-sex… I'm an object not a person to them. They use me and I use them and there isn't a day that goes by where I don't encounter my own personal-version of rock-star groupie.

"You could say no." Hermione said softly.

"And you don't have to be right …all the time …about everything." Harry retorted without bitterness. "I have a weakness; I'm addicted to slutty-groupies… a weakness that not only cost me a wonderful wife …but also my second-family. I have the same chance of getting into the Burrow for Christmas this year… as you do.

"We could still have each other; Harry."

"You husband would never allow it, as a womanizer himself… there is no way he'll leave you alone in the same room with always randy-bloke like-me. Even Ron thought you fancied me.

"Oh I did, I had a major crush on you second and third-year," Hermione admitted without thinking.

"Shite," Harry chuckled sadly, "I'm cursed with the never ending magical-gift… that is the key to removing …all girls' knickers.

"Prat," Hermione snorted her good-mood restored. "But seriously; Harry, I'm being haunted by those-eggs I gave-up and I won't have any peace until they're destroyed.

"Will the rest of you step-out for a few minutes?" Kingsley asked and the others except for Harry and Hermione… and when they left… closing the door behind them  
Kingsley said;

"Lady Malfoy, We can't give back your eggs, but if you'll promise me as a witch to '_**cease and desist**_' this insane-vendetta to legally-recover them, I'll arrange a meeting with Ron and perhaps you can talk him into… telling you… what they're going to be used for. I've swore an oath as his secret-keeper to remain silent on this subject, so only Ron can tell you the details. Harry wasn't told anything beyond the sale… so leave him alone.

"You have my word, now… when and where?"

"Muggle London; _**Kenningston Park**_ …two days from now …at noon …in front of the _**Peter Pan**_ statute," Kingsley said to them both. Also… Harry: by my authority as Minister of Magic, I'm setting aside for ninety-six hours; the Malfoy restraining order, so that you can attend this meeting too.

"Have Ron bring the eggs with him," Hermione suggested.

"YOU ARE NOT GETTING THEM BACK… is that clear?" Kingsley snarled forcefully

"YES I WILL… JUST WATCH ME," Hermione said hotly before she stormed out of the office.

Turning back to Harry after the door slammed-shut behind the departing Hermione, once again alone the Minister said in a whisper; "I'm going to have Ron come a half hour early and appear at the _**Notting Hill **_entrance to the park. "I'll give you an international-goblin bank-draft later today. You're to tell him to pack-up and use the gold… to get out of England, and go into hiding. It won't be long before she thinks of checking the Hogwarts future-student ledger and then… they'll be hell to pay.

"What's going on?"

"Granger thinks they're still eggs, she underestimates Ron's cunning in all this. She may have forgotten about her experience with _**time-turners**_ but Ron didn't.

"TIME-TURNER... what time-turner? Kingsley… explain your-self; Dammit?"

"I've already said too much. The rest is for Ron to tell."

OoOoOoOo

"So Harry, your saying I got to scoot right-away", Ron said over a pint at a local pub within twenty paces of the Notting Hill entrance into Kensington Park.

"Yeah, Hermione wants her eggs back.

"No-can-do mate, five of them bought-it," Ron replied shaking his head sadly. "Only two of the seven came to term".

"As in… already born?"

"Yup", Ron said proudly. "Has your divorce with my sister finalized yet?

"Not for two more days …why?,"

"Then you'll be an uncle for two more days. I became a father, about a fortnight ago.

"Two children, a boy and a girl… right?" Harry said thinking back to Hermione's dreams.

"Yeah …but, you got the order wrong. My Rose was born first, with Hugo popping out a week later; but how did you know?

"Never-mind that now, a week apart …you say …how?" Harry asked.

"Well, my sperm …Hermione's eggs and seven surrogate mothers with 'wombs to let'. I got the idea from my Canadian-Pub Boss and his wife. Susan had a deformed uterus and couldn't bring a child to term. The healers over there tried everything magical without luck… so they were forced to turn to Muggle methods.

"Test-tube fertilization and Surrogates?,"

"Sure, why not," Ron replied. "That way I removed Hermione and all the other Malfoy snakes from the equation. I refused to do it …if the Malfoy's had _**any say**_ in anything. No parental rights… no-visitation …nothing.

The "shunning ritual,"

"That was another perquisite of mine… yes. And Hermione reputation as a twenty-four-seven workaholic with no time for the one kid she already has, made it an easy sale. I'm the only parent; I bonded my magic to them before they were implanted. So when Hermione pulled-back her magic… during the ritual… they still had mine as an anchor. Kingsley was right-out the future-student ledger. As soon as we came back to current time, their names appeared; as first-years at Hogwarts… in the year 2016.

"You're an uncle again too …by-the-way", Harry said to Ron. "Twins; James and Albus were born three days ago, and they join one-year-old; Lily, as my sole legitimate offspring's".

"Are there illegitimate ones? Hold-on …forget; I even asked that," Ron said biting back a flare of temper. "Tell you what …if you're a good-boy and play nice with Ginny's boyfriend and perhaps future husband, I'll bet you'll get generous visitation rights from Ginny.

"Oi; speaking of that …why aren't you killing me? I mucked-up big-time with your little sister," Harry asked genuinely surprised.

"Because Ginny isn't all that mad at you," Ron said casually "We had a long chat at Georges wedding and hashed-out our shared romantic-mistakes. We aren't _**celebrity**_ _**Toffs**_; Harry… you and Lady Malfoy are, but we aren't. Ginny sort-of already knew in the back of her mind …that getting a famous person like-you as a husband; in the first place was a long-shot and keeping-you long-term …even more-unlikely. The bloke she has now will be a better fit. He's a solid… down to earth type.

"I thought you didn't know who Ginny was seeing?"

"Not directly, **NO**. But I can guess… it's not all that hard. It's mentioned in the same prophecy that sucked me into all this nonsense.

"_**Nonsense**_?." Harry snorted.

"Look mate, blokes like me don't rate big earth-shattering prophecies like you got," Ron said with a resigned and semi-disappointed snort. "Even the part of this that has me in it …mentions me only in passing and never by name. To the goddess of destiny; I'm nothing more that the sperm donor of a future generation of great witches and wizards. I get to raise them-up and that's a major bit of all-right compensation for me, as being the father to greatness isn't all that bad an epitaph.

"But; Hermione?

"We all got the ending we wanted; Harry…if you think on-it a-bit… you'll agree with me. You wanted a world without Voldemort and the Death Eaters and you're going to pay for it; with life-long fame that will rob you of the normal life you always craved.

"Hermione and I were polar opposites from the get-go. She never really intended to marry me **or** anyone else for that matter. She was a career-girl with big ambitions right from the off... and she told us that… up-front during first-year. Children were always going to be a drag on her career ambitions, a distraction and an obstacle.

"But she married Draco and had a child with him. And the ferret being what he always was… cheats on her all the time …treats her like her like a piece of property," Harry protested.

"Yeah, but she must have known that going in… she's a very-smart girl. Only a total-fool thinks 'the right girl can transform a bad-boy' myth. Besides; think on it; if the ferret is having sex with all those other birds… he leaves Hermione alone at night… and that means… no unplanned pregnancies'.

"You've gotten-over her at last.

"No Harry, no-one ever forgets their first-love… have you forgotten Cho? Part of me will always love Hermione. The hard part for me, after it ended… was in accepting that I didn't do anything major wrong. For years I blamed myself …refusing to acknowledge; on any level …that she wanted a career more than anything else. But our romantic-aspirations' were always as far apart as … well… she's being the day while I'm the night.

"You really believe that?

"It took a bloody-long time …but yeah, I finally figured it out," Ron said in a 'none too happy about it' tone. "Sometimes just realizing the painful-truth is all the comfort a bloke gets… which makes me luckier than most. My Hogwarts dream of - 'happy ever after' - was in having children with Hermione and if you think-on-it… I actually **got** what I wanted. I was even willing to play _**Mr. MOM**_ at home while Hermione worked… just to get that dream.

"So you're saying that… in the end you got your dream … but without Hermione?

"**Yeah**, Rose and Hugo are my kids with her. There's zero adult cuddling time with brainy-bookworms and I'm going to miss that… loads. But being a relationship loser anyway… my new kids will be a perfect excuse for getting-out of the dating game for good… only a nutter would take on the extra baggage of a bloke with two little-nippers in tow.

"Don't give up hope, maybe there is a girl out there… that… " but Harry's enthusiasm died when it beheld the intense disbelief in Ron's eyes.

**OoOoOoOo **

"Good-afternoon Milady Malfoy," Ron said pleasantly twenty minutes later… as they approached the park bench were Hermione sat.

"Mr. Weasley, Harry", she replied rising to her feet, dressed to the nines. "I understand you have my property; Mr. Weasley, I want to know your price for their return.

"How about ten times the original price paid? I've improved the product …put time and effort in the natural development of this project. So naturally I expect; like any greedy Slytherin would… to make a handsome-profit on this transaction. So I'll accept nothing less than ten times the appraised value for the Malfoy assets returned to your family… in payment for the previously-unfertilized eggs.

"That's unacceptable; the Malfoy combined fortune isn't worth **half** that much …_**hold-on**_ …did you say… Previously-unfertilized?," Hermione replied in shocked horror.

"I'm sorry, I thought you had been already informed," Ron said in his best imitation of a burrocratic flunky. "The eggs were 'purchased' with a Ministry project in mind. And that project has developed normally in the time-line that has elapsed since that purchase.

"Can the project still be terminated?"

"Without the compensation I mentioned; I'm afraid not …but I will be happy to accept any contribution you wish to make in support of the project's normal development."

"I don't have any money on me.

"You are my witness, Mr. Potter; my attempt to be reasonable in these negotiations has been rebuffed. Any attempt from this moment on, to steal from my family of three, shall be regarded as kidnapping; which any solicitor should know is a capital crime.

"Prat …there are eight in your family …more if you add in nieces and nephews.

"I was referring to immediate family, not extended… but have it your way.

"Kidnapping …you idiot …for that charge to be applied …that would mean…" Hermione voice faded away as she finally understood what Ron had been saying. She turned on Harry with a look of betrayal on her face.

"Don't look at me that way, I just found out myself.

"How? No wait …a time-turner." Hermione whispered to herself …half shell-shocked

"Five failed to complete the process", Ron explained in a mono-tone

.

"Surrogacy," Hermione mumbled to herself.

"As you and your family signed-off on all rights, they became Weasley's by default.

"You bastard, you stole my children."

"Liar, your son is safety at home under the exclusive care of his grandmother. By _**blood, magic and law**_ you have no other children. The 'shunning ritual,' remember?

"But …how? … And; better still… why me?

"Basically, there was a prophecy made several years ago about five Gryffindor lions. One part _**in particular**_ mentioned a lioness that transforms into a snake through marriage …which the Ministry in its wisdom decided… was you. This Lioness was destined to have children – 'plural' - meaning more than one… with a … _well_ …another lion with a special skill. The three sisters of fate threatened disaster if the snake and Lion did not breed several legitimate offspring.

"And as I was already married to a …snake. A direct approach wouldn't have worked". Hermione said logically …thinking aloud. "Yes I understand now …a surrogacy would have been the only way-around the legitimacy clause.

"But now that I've been made aware of my children by proxy, I will reapply to the court for joint physical custody. Half a year at the manor with me and half in whatever hovel you're living in."

"You're **again**; forgetting the _**shunning ritual**_, Lady Malfoy. My children are just that …**mine**. There is no way for you to prove any heredity… but Weasley.

"A pensive memory of this conversation …"

"A doctored fake… and inadmissible in a custody battle anyway" Ron retorted perfectly calm.

"You've done your homework for once," Hermione snarled bitterly. "If I don't stand a chance in court, why bother with this meeting.

"You disappoint me Lady Malfoy, only an amoral snake, ends things with an owl-post _**Dear John**_ letter. I agreed to this because I thought you deserved the courtesy of a; face-to-face expatiations of the legitimate purchase of your eggs.

"Ouch," Harry said, "That was payback cruel …and …spot-on target, well-done Ron."

"I see you in court then,"

"No Milady, you'll see the Ministry and the Wizengamot High Court in the docks…not me. This entire arrangement was run through the courts before-hand to check-for legal-loophole leaks… which when found… were promptly plugged.

"When did you get smart?

"Oh I haven't changed, lady Malfoy, I'm just an average bloke defending his children from a snake that has no time for the one-child she already has. Scorpius under Narcissa tutorage… without Lucius to muck-things up this time… actually has a chance to mold her grandson into a bloke a thousand times more honorable than his father.

"That is my hope as well." Hermione admitted with surprising candor. "What are you going to tell them… about me?

"The truth, but only up to a point," Ron said sincerely. "I have loads of good-things to tell them about the great-girl I grew up with. After the death of Voldemort; however, that is a different story… which I leave to you to tell.

"We wouldn't have worked-out Ron," Hermione said, but unconvincingly.

"I didn't have the money to support you Grande-ambitions rather." Ron replied.

"It's the truth Hermione, even I can see that," Harry interjected in a timely fashion.

"They will search you out someday, I'm sure; you're half the source of their existence after all," Ron said softly.

"And you'll allow that?" Hermione said surprised. "No; strike that thought; I've been a barrister to long, forgive me. I naturally suspect everyone of an ulterior motive. You're a Weasley and honorable to a fault. Of course, you'd never speak badly of me. You're a good man Ron, far better than the abusive womanizer I married.

"Ron merely nodded his head in acknowledgement of the compliment.

"Tell me …what are they named …**our** children… that is," Hermione said blushing for the first time in seven years …like the girl she had been during the war; like the girl that Ron had loved so hard.

"Rose and Hugo,"

"Hugo was my grandfather's name," Hermione said pleasantly surprised. "But you knew that… didn't you?"

"Yes I did."

"I chose the wrong husband …didn't I?" Hermione said only-now …with regret.

"No you didn't," Ron replied instantly with heat. "You had long-drawn-out plans for your future. Plans that I couldn't help you with …not half-as-well as a far-richer man could."

"You see that too?" Hermione said in a somewhat melancholy tone… but then became thoughtful. "But at what cost I wonder. My empty bed gets cold sometimes."

"There is no such thing as a free lunch," Harry said bitterly. "None of us got the '_**happily ever after ending**_' of a story-book.

"I guess not," Hermione said sadly as she turned to go. "Oh by-the-way, I'm curious …what was the special skill that you're suppose to have?

"It's not all that special, at least not in the U.K.

"Please …tell me?

"I was a keeper for; Gryffindor, remember? To do that post I had to know how to fly on a broom. Some counties outside of Europe… have only recently discovered Quidditch …as a sport. They apparate and use the floo, but flying a broom is foreign to them…" Ron said and then paused …embarrassed.

"Go on,"

"One of my part-time jobs …was the under-contract teaching of basic and advanced broom-flying… like Madame Hooch did at Hogwarts… to a bunch of first-year school kids.

Hermione eyes went as wide as golf-balls. "You're a professor?"

"Naw… just a contract worker; flying instructor is a more appropriate term for what I did… and in my spare time I use too …"

"…Play keeper on a local pub team," Hermione interjected condescendingly.

"Yeah …sure, whatever, it's just like you said," Ron said bitterly, hating it whenever Hermione talked-down to him.

"I'll want to see my babies, Ronald,"

"My people will floo your people and set-up a time and place." Ron spat-out; now holding his temper in check with difficulty.

"See that you do," Hermione said smugly turning about and marching off head held high having **won** the point on visitation …or so she thought. Harry waited until he saw her apparate away before he turned on his friend and asked:

"Ron …didn't you say …no visitation?"

"And I'll floo to set that up …when **Hell** freezes solid."

"Do I get to see my niece and nephew, before you leave?" Harry asked in a worried tone.

"Who knows about Coven, besides you?"

"Well nobody, you made me promise. Ginny does of course… but otherwise... not even your parents know. But you just told Granger that you teach flying …in …Hey… HOLD ON… you didn't actually mention what country you taught in

"You spotted that did-you… Good," Ron said with relief. "Magic-school contact workers don't have tenure, so they don't appear on the roster as staff. Besides; it's the flight-instructor part-time job that I was just sacked from …before coming home. Hermione will never be able to track-me down that way.

"So back to being a fry-cook?," Harry asked as the two young wizards headed toward the _**Leaky-Cauldron**_ for lunch.

"Yeah …but only part-time…I don't want to be away from the kids too much. The Ministry paid me forty thousand galleons to be the _**sperm-donor & sole parent**_ to Rose and Hugo until they're old enough for Hogwarts, where they'll have an all expenses paid… free ride. And the bank draft you gave me adds another twenty thousand to the kitty. I can hide in the wilderness of British Columbia Canada for a couple of decades on that, even-without adding-in my fry-cook… mad-money. It's only me; two house elves and the kids.

"Yes I can see that, so what's the plan; chess-master?"

"I'll purchase a small cabin just north of Coven, and owl you that location. If you're at lose-ends for the Christmas holiday, you can spend it with us."

"Yeah, I think I'll do just that. The welcome mat is no longer out for me… at the Burrow.

"_**Ya-think**_," Ron snorted before changing the subject. "So who do you think is semi-living with my sister these days?"

"Longbottom,"

Very-good; Harry, the prophecy that hooked me also mentioned; "_If the_ _Ginger lioness is foolishly discarded, by the child of fate …on the rebound she shall find __**life long joy**__ with fate's alternate. Denied the right to be marked by evil… this lion and child of Mother Nature; will fulfill his destiny as the maker of great heroes, all begated by his Ginger cat_".

"This was fated to Happen?" Harry said instantly becoming angry.

"**No** you idiot …the prophecy gave you an-out, you bloody-git," Ron retorted hotly. It said **'IF'** as in… if you mucked-it- up, not when you mucked-up. You weren't destined to lose Ginny; you made that mistake of your own free will …understand?"

"Yeah …sorry mate, I lost-it for a second" Harry said embarrassed. "Your right …I did this **all** on my own. But it makes me wonder …this Neville bringing-up heroes bit; does that include my three as well?"

"And you're asking me?" Ron said with a chuckle. "I flunked divination …remember?"

OoOoOoOo

They walked on in silence for a-bit… before suddenly, Harry stopped; grabbed Ron's arm and asked;

"Another thing, how did you stay so cool with Hermione, the girl that dumped you via owl-post to marry the ruddy-ferret. I was sure I'd be witness to the biggest row in English history.

"Oh that's easy; Shacklebolt's note to me wasn't about filling-in Lady Malfoy about her eggs.

"It wasn't?

"Nope, Kingsley offered me closure, plain and simple. A perfect opportunity to see with my own eyes how much she had changed. That the girl I fancied and the woman she has become… are two radically different people. And he was spot-on, my Hermione died when she made her deal with the devil.

"Then who was it you just talked too," Harry asked clearly annoyed.

"Lady H. G. Malfoy, a close-copy of what Narcissa looked like in her mid twenties, I suppose.

"You've gone mental

"Have I, well maybe so, but before you cart me off to the Looney-bin, create a mental picture in your mind of the Hermione I loved, the plain and down to earth girl that camped with us during the Horcrux hunt. Then do a side-by-side comparison to the dressed to the nine's… slave of fashion… that we just talked too.

"Oh Sweet-Merlin… They're …they're… " Harry began gob-smacked by the mental comparison.

"Two very different people: Harry, and that's what Kingsley wanted me to see," Ron said in a resigned tone. "The Lady Malfoy of today is everything that the Hogwarts-Hermione despised in her dorm mates. Her hair was prefect, make-up flawless, her lipstick… passion-red and perfectly applied. Her designer-clothing, straight from Milan or Paris, cost more than I made in salary in the last two-years… combined. Finally there is the matter of footwear, 'Hogwarts-Hermione' hated high-heels; in the seven years we knew her… she only wore high-heels twice, the Yule-ball and Bill's wedding.

"And today, in the middle of a work-week, in a public play-park she had on six-inch stiletto-heels," Harry said flabbergasted …having not noticed Hermione's **Toff** appearance during her visit to his office.

"Yes she did. Milady Malfoy was right you know, the princess and the peasant wouldn't have worked out. She is high-maintenance now and always was, being the daughter of mega-rich dentists. Do you ever remember her wearing mended jeans? We Weasley's on the other hand …"

"_**Were always in 'hand-me-downs'**_," Harry said as a statement of fact. "I bet she thought she would reform the Malfoy's out of their upper-crust; snobbish ways, instead they corrupted her.

"Unbridled-wealth has that effect on some people. Luckily you avoided that particular ego-trap; Harry. You're wearing better fitting clothing I noticed… but thankfully you don't flaunt your status and wealth with it… as the current Lord and Lady Malfoy appear to do.

"Yeah I avoided one trap and fell into a worse one… by far; the forbidden fruit that comes with Celebrity fame.

"Professional Quidditch players have sex-groupies too… old-chum," Ron said with clear sympathy.

"Yeah I know, and Ginny had gorgeous-blokes hitting on her all the time, when she was a pro-chaser… she told me so; however she resisted temptation and stayed true to me… whereas I didn't.

"Don't beat yourself-up over it. No-body is prefect, real-heroes; contrary to the fairy-tale stereotypes are mortal.

"Hermione was right, seven years out in the colonies and you come back bloody brilliant," Harry joked while genuinely amazed at his friends profound insights.

"That's pure Bullocks and you know it; Potter. I'm the same thick-prat that I was before; this is all Weasley common-sense stuff… nothing special about it.

"You saw how marriage to the ferret has changed Hermione, and I didn't?

"I assume the transformation was gradual," Ron said with a resigned shrug, "Walking in a forest, after awhile… you lose appreciation for the individual trees."

"There you go again… sprouting this profound shite. Knock it off will-ya?

Okay …okay.

OoOoOoOo

The two young men entered the _**Leaky-Caldron**_ though the Muggle-London entrance. Harry paused before going in to perform a 'don't notice me' glamour-spell.

"I hate having to do that, but my groupies won't leave me alone otherwise, "Harry bemoaned as he and Ron entered the Pub.

"How often do you need to have a fix of London witch-quim? Ron teased.

"Knock it off Ron, I'm a recovering addict." Harry joked back.

"Get a booth in the back, while I floo my house-elf to start packing." Ron said. Five minutes later, Ron joined Harry in a dark booth far in the back of the run-down pub.

"Is that Hannah Abbott tending Bar?" Ron asked as he sat down.

"Yeah, she owns the Caldron now… she and Neville got a divorce last year, when he caught his cougar-wife with the much-younger Dennis Creevey in bed together… real-messy divorce that was; all over the papers. Cost Neville his newly-won teaching post at Hogwarts… in fact. He works in a Magical Commercial Greenhouse now …in the village of Exeter, Devon. Which is… come to think on it… is just down the lane from Ottery St. Catchpole …and the Burrow", Harry snarled his temper flaring again.

"Harry, get a grip," Ron warned in a forced-whisper. "There are a-lot worse blokes than Neville out there. Blaise Zabini, for example, and he's a real piece of scum, I think we both agree on that point.

"Well, anyroad; I'm told, Blaise fancied-Ginny loads… when she played pro-Quidditch and even dated her for a-bit… while you were in the Auror Academy. Besides; old-friend, you didn't lose my sister to Neville pectorals… or his silver-tongued charm. You lost her because you couldn't keep your trousers zipped.

"Yeah …I did." Harry admitted sounding depressed.

OoOoOoOo

"Hello Coop," A very sexy sounding voice said as a very-attractive, dark haired woman approached the table where Ron and Harry sat.

"What are you doing in England? I thought you were going back to work with your sisters again," Ron sputtered completely-unhinged.

"Manner's Ron, introduce me to the Lady," Harry said getting up, his strong-interest in such a desirable woman understandable to anyone with a pulse.

"Yes, your friend is right, introduce me, please". The dark-haired seductress purred turning her full-attention toward Harry. Ron's natural jealousy flared hot and it took a moment to stifle it.

"Yes… why not, I'm yesterday's news after all and not being good-enough for the Ladies… seems-to-be my legacy. Harry; allow-me to introduce a former flame of mine; Harry James Potter this is Mrs. Phoebe Halliwell-Turner, a recent widow and resident of; 1329, Prescott street, San Francisco, California, USA.

"Are you **the** Harry Potter?"

"Why yes I am."

"May I join you gentlemen?"

"You may have my seat; Mrs. Turner", Ron said getting up abruptly. "I was just leaving, pressing business to attend to, travel arrangements to make and all that rot,"

"Well if you have to go, don't let us detain you," Harry said forgetting all about lunch with Ron …in fact …unable to take his eyes off of this delicious American woman.

Ron's ears went red at the tone of Harry's dismissal. He bit-his own tongue to hold-back angry words. She was playing him again, just like the night they met in Vancouver, stirring his blood, hoping his jealousy would kick-in.

But not again, he'd been her fool once-already, fell for her hard and too fast… asked her to be his wife, way too soon, spellbound; right from the off… by the same sensual magic she was using now… on Harry. Sometimes Ron couldn't help but wonder; if she was a genuine-succubus sent from Hell to torment his heart-broken soul

"Yes, well I floo you, when I get settled, shall I," Ron said and when Harry acted as if he hadn't heard, Ron's anger flared again. "Get a room" he snarled as he abruptly turned-about to leave.

"Coop …don't go?" She pleaded softly.

"Turn-it off Phoebe," Ron retorted hotly; over his shoulder, not wanting to turn around again. "Whatever magic you're using, you don't need it… you know? The natural-beauty that God gave-you is enough to ensnarl most men, as it did with me. If you fancy; Harry, please… seduce him… the mortal way."

"I didn't come to England for sex with the famous Mr. Potter. I came to find you."

"Whatever for, Mrs. Turner, have you had another romantic-premonition about Jason Dean. I thought you told me that dating Muggle's …only leads to disaster, heartache and rejection? I thought you'd given up entirely on emotional-love."

"Jason hurt me badly, Ron and that's why I came to Vancouver… to heal,"

"With my feeble attempt at wooing you just a matter of bad timing, yes… I remembered what you said. All well and good, you're not the first witch to find me unworthy… but that doesn't explain why you orbed from California to London to hunt-down your most recent rejected suitor".

"Hey …Ron …I thought you were leaving," Harry interjected irritated, resentful of the competition for Phoebe's time.

"Little-boy, why don't you pipe-down and let the adults talk" Phoebe hissed angrily at the interruption. Suddenly Phoebe's aura reflected an angry-demon and Harry unprepared for the unexpected mood-swing …back-pedaled fast.

"Yes well, forgive me for living," Harry said feeling insulted. "I think I better go, as I'm clearly not wanted here.

"No… you're not," Phoebe hissed again

"I'll talk to you later, eh Ron. Don't leave without letting me see the kids …Okay," Harry said a he brushed by Ron heading for the exit.

"That was unnecessarily cruel, Mrs. Turner," Ron said with his back still turned to the American.

"You refused to play the game, Coop and that has a tendency to piss-me off."

"Stop calling me; Coop, please? I'm not one of the demi-god son's of Cupid; my tract-record with failed love-affairs alone… is proof of that," Ron said in a rapidly depressing tone.

"I know that,"

"Well then …why are you here," Ron asked again. "You told me flatly, when you turned me down… that you had a premonition; foretelling your marriage to a son of Cupid… who's surname began with a C …Now I have a brother named Charlie …he's a dragon tamer, but he's in Romania.

"Ron… I …I," Phoebe stuttered.

"Anyroad; without a C first-middle or last name; as you forcefully-pointed-out, as my surname is Weasley; made my attempt on my part… to chat-you-up a colossal waste of your time.

"I know I said all that and I'm sorry that I ended things between us… badly.

"Nothing new there, happens to me all the time", Ron said bitterly. "But I thank-you for telling me to _**go to hell**_ face-to-face …that alone… was a pleasant-change for me, and I'm grateful.

"Did I also happen to tell you the downside of having magical-foresight …what you 'Brits' call a Seer… is that there's no; '_**absolute certainty**_' with any prophecy… precisely because, the future is constantly in motion. Things change all the time as we mortal; by our choices… alter our own destinies.

"So you've had an 'update' on the cupid wedding …another vision of the future? How does your marriage to a demi-god affect me …personally?"

"Well, the **Elders** want to start a European style Quidditch team at the Californian Magic School main-campus near Mount Hebron.

"The answer is; **No**,Phoebe."

"I happen to know that you're currently unemployed.

"Destiny hates me; there is no other explanation… not with running-into two of the three witches that rejected me; **cold** …as a husband …all in the same day.

"You saw Granger today?"

"No… I saw Lady Malfoy, a woman transformed by running 'too-long' in the wrong circles. Did you know: it really is true, evil companions can gradually-corrupt the pure of heart?" Ron admitted sadly. "My Granger is gone forever, malformed into a self-severing… demon-shark barrister. Only the very-materialistic Lady Malfoy remains.

"It's a bitter lesson; I've seen it happen-myself. Had friends …and lovers succumb to the demon inside them?" Phoebe said with obvious regret.

"Forgive me: I forgot for a moment, that's what happened to your husband; Mr. Turner, bad companions… eh?" Ron asked apologetically.

"Yes." Phoebe said in a near whisper her mind for a moment a thousand miles away; before snapping back into focus in a way-more upbeat tone; "come back to California with me Ron, the Magic school needs your special skills."

"Flying instructors are as easy to find as shooting fish in a barrel." Ron said without turning around. "Besides if you really need a chap that is a wonder on a broom… Harry Potter, the bloke that just-left, is your better choice …he's loads better than me in the air.

"Is that what you've told your friends, the _**bullshit**_ about being a flying instructor? Totally overlooking the fact that in four short-years you took the '_Western Canadian Institute for Advanced Magic_' from zero broom experience to the winners of the North-American-Continental Quidditch championships.

"I didn't tell you about my coaching …how did you know? …_**Hang-on**_, you used psychometric-power on the 'Winning Match Quaffle' in that sports-Pub back in Vancouver. That's bad-form; Phoebe …that's cheating. How can a bloke hope to keep things-private around you? Anyroad the current state of competition across-the-pond isn't all that good; you-chaps haven't been playing the sport for more than twenty-years or so and..."

"…Don't try to kid a kidder, Ron;" Phoebe interrupted. "Your team beat twenty-four other magical school teams from Hudson-bay down to the Panama canal. The entire North American continent sent squads… there were even pro-scouts at the Championships.

"They were scouting the players for the pro-teams. It was a great opportunity for them and you're very well informed, for someone that thinks Quidditch is dangerously foolish.

"It is dangerous Ron, I'm not even all that fond of levitating ten feet off the floor, but the School directors are avid Quidditch fans.

"Go talk to; Potter, again," Ron suggested helpfully. "He works as an Auror supervisor at the Ministry… maybe he can suggest someone, for the Magic School… but for me… well; I left England because it was too painful to try to live where Hermione lived. The same applies to you.

"Oh for heaven sakes; Ron, man-up. You can't just run-away from your disappointments in life. Besides …who's to say …"

"…Thank-you so-much… for pointing-out my immature behavior; Mrs. Turner," Ron interrupted suddenly furious. "The older women that I tragically seem to fancy; **all…** greatly-enjoy, highlighting my shortcomings… in public. So if you don't mind, I take my childishness elsewhere. Thank-you for the job-offer, but I'm too immature to take advantage of it.

"Ron… don't go… please "

"Good-day… Mrs. Turner," Ron said storming off in a huff, weaving through the crowded pub with a practiced easy that baffled and frustrated Phoebe's pursuit. By the time she reached the door and went back into Muggle-London… Ron was gone.

"MEN," Phoebe said feeling irritated.

OoOoOoOo

Two days later

Office of H. Potter

Department of Law enforcement

Nine in the morning

OoOoOoOo

"Mr. Potter, a Mrs. Turner is here to see you. Matt said leaning into his boss's office.

"Show her in at once", Harry replied instantly becoming excited at the prospect of seeing the drop-dead gorgeous American again.

"Mr. Potter," Phoebe began in a formal tone,

"Harry… Please. We were introduced after all.

"Yes we were… Harry. However, Ron is the reason for my visit today. I need to find him urgently. I've used every power I have to track him down and have failed.

"And here I though you wanted to ask me out to lunch" Harry joked to cover his disappointment and stifle his budding arousal.

"How old are you; Harry, Phoebe asked mildly amused.

"Twenty-four …why?, Harry replied somewhat confused.

"I'm nearly thirty-four, Harry, and my preference in men tends toward …

"…I'm too young for you?" Harry replied in an amazed tone, genuinely gob-smacked at being turned down.

"Not too young, per-say. It's more a matter of empathy, and what it tells me about the people I meet. Seeing the inner-man is one of my gifts. Even this far away from you and without the benefit of touch; I can tell that unlike; Ron, your feelings toward me are based solely on sexual attraction.

"That's not true," Harry protested, as he threw-up his Occlumency shields to cover-up how insightful she'd been about his true motives.

"Look down at your desk-top," Phoebe requested and when Harry did she said.

"Your mental-shields are good, but that's not the only tool in my arsenal;" Phoebe said feeling his emotions fade to nothing. "When a man is looking for sex alone, his attention is focused on a woman's body. When the male is looking for the long term, beyond the physical, then his focus is on the face. As a woman in my mid-thirties, I've outgrown the one-night-stand style… '_**Fling's**_' of my mid-twenties. So tell me Mister-searching for more than sex …without looking up, what color are my eyes?

"Harry shook her head sadly… thinking to him-self; _"BUSTED"_

OoOoOoOo

Just then, Kingsley burst into Harry's office so clearly upset that he didn't even noticing Phoebe. "Harry has Ron left the country-yet?"

"Yes …just this morning, why?"

"Are you sure? Lord Malfoy was in my office just-now, claiming that Ron had sexually-molested his wife, and demands …demands, mind-you. That if the-Ministry doesn't throw Ron into Azkaban at once… for the servantile-assault against his marital-property. He will hire hit-wizards to quote; 'take-Ron and his abomination-brats-out'

"What?"

"Draco somehow-knows about the surrogacy …he's beyond-furious that his wife has somehow managed to have children with the 'weasel.' He and his solicitor had the gall to demand that the two unnaturally-made bastards be put-down… like dogs.

"And you told him… exactly what.

"I don't argue with inbreed idiots, nor do I face people like Malfoy alone; so once I heard his demand… I had the Judge advocate General and the Chief-justice of the Wizengamot Highest court step-in and hear for them-selves his murderous rant. That arrogant fool has been beyond lucky all his life, side-stepping his Death-Eater past, abusing women for years without consequences and now he believes himself so untouchable by mere mortals… that he can promise murder without any fear of Azkaban.

"Even when two of the highest legal authorities carefully explain that if one hair is harmed on the heads of the Weasley children, every hen-penny of the Malfoy wealth will be seized by the government; his son would-be sent into foster-care …to be home-schooled by Muggleborn's and he and lady Narcissa Malfoy will receive a Dementor's-KISS ...forthwith.

"Lord Draco didn't like that response at all and he spat insults at my law-experts telling them that pure-bloods like him weren't subject to the same laws as lesser-wizards … he was mere-moments away from talking his way into a jail cell when Lady Hermione Malfoy rushed into my office in the nick of time to pull Draco's chestnuts **once-again** out of the fire.

"Dammit … we almost had him?

"But he always seems to squeeze his way out of it… doesn't he? Oh… by the way the show in my office got better; Now Draco had two high-priced barristers telling him he was acting stupid. That hurt his nobleman's pride, big-time… but when Hermione rubbed salt in the wound by reminding her Lord husband… that her Weasley children wouldn't exist at all had he and his mother hadn't been so eager… to sell her eggs.

"Oh my god, she didn't?

"Hermione didn't pull any punches when she scornfully pointed out that only a complete moron sells viable human eggs and then acts surprised when children are born as a result.

"Sweet Merlin, she actually said that publicly?" Harry said stunned.

"And Draco backhanded her face; hard, as a reward for her cheek."

"He **HIT** Her?

"No… not just hit… he backhanded her face… really-really hard. And before you ask, I didn't do a thing… not allowed to… under our law. No one is permitted to interfere when a wizard-husband disciplines his wife. Spousal abuse just does not exist… in any of the world-wide Magical communities. The Weasley attitude toward respecting women is the exception …not the rule. Draco can have Hermione beaten by his house-elves within an inch of death and as long as she doesn't die, there is nothing the Ministry can do.

"But that's barbaric …she can divorce him… can't she?"

"Yeah …she could …but that she hasn't… speaks volumes … doesn't it? But the really odd thing was, she barely flinched at the blow, her '_**your acting stupid'**_ rant to Lord Malfoy; barely skipped a beat… as the three of them apparated out of my office …not two minutes ago."

"Getting hit by Draco; wasn't all that unusual, I guess?" Harry said shaking his head in regret.

"That's the impression I got…yeah."

"I just don't understand why she stays with him… what does she gain?"

"Real good question Harry, real good question," Kingsley said rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Right-off… I'd guess, they don't actually see each other all that often. My sources tell me Draco doesn't live at the Manor and hasn't for years; he keeps a flat here in London separate from his wife and son. In fact he sees his son a thousand times less often than his 24/7 workaholic spouse. Theirs is a marriage of convenience… not passion.

"Then why is Draco making all this fuss… unless…" Harry asked rhetorically "…Hermione is using Ron against Draco in the same way she used Viktor against Ron?

"Jealousy as a means of control …that just can't be, Draco is a womanizer extraordinaire," Kingsley retorted with a snort. "Hermione is just his trophy spouse; the proof of his only significant 'victory' over all Gryffindork's …especially you and Ron.

"That's true enough, I suppose," Harry replied. "But I'll still bet that she's been rubbing Ron's nice guy nobility in the ferret's face …the 'let the kids seek her out later in their lives' bit… as proof; that Ron is _**in so many ways**_ the better man than Malfoy," Harry said putting the pieces of the puzzle together . "Believe me… Hermione is an expert at that kind of he's better than you nagging.

"Which spoils Lord Malfoy's perceived victory over Ron by taking her away from him. Coy, I'll never understand that brainy-bird. Getting in a blokes face, especially a sadistic arrogant blither with zero respect for women like Malfoy .

"She had her reasons Kingsley," Harry said thinking back to the Kensington Park confrontation, "and she wouldn't continue to stay with him if the benefits didn't outweigh the negatives.

"Well I for one am glad that Ron is rid of her and is going into hiding, Lord Malfoy doesn't make idle threats. I fully expect he'll hire hit-wizards to kill those children.

"They'll never find him Minister," Harry said in way of reinsurance. "Ron has a nice pile of gold, he's been sacked from his old job as flying-instructor and he describes himself to me as a non-entity in the tiny university-town where he lives. Even if the Malfoy hired hit wizards knew which foreign country he'll live in …

"…But they will know; Harry," Phoebe said interrupting the conversation, "all they'll have to do is read a magic newspaper from American or Canada and they'll know that he's from Coven.

"How, did you know that?"

"Ron and I were sort-of _**involved**_, for a-bit in Vancouver and the people I know thought my …relationship with him could give me an 'advantage'

"An 'advantage' …in what?

"I came here for two reasons, one official and the other personal. Officially; the Magic School of California wants to hire Ron.

"As a flying instructor?", Harry snorted in disbelief. "There must be loads of Blokes in America that can teach broom-flying

"No… Ron wasn't one hundred percent honest with-you about his part-time jobs in Coven. He taught basic flying… of course. But the California Magic School wants to hire Ron …as the world-class; Quidditch coach and strategist that he's become," Phoebe retorted with contempt.

"Seven odd weeks ago; just outside of Atlanta, Georgia… Ron's 'WCIAM' school Quidditch team; beat all comers… to win the North American Quidditch championship. An all but impossible feat for a school that just four short-years ago had no Quidditch program.

"When the President of WCIAM or the Western Canadian Institute for Advanced Magic; foolishly fired their 'part-time' and un-tenured flying instructor because the previous professor had returned from a six-year leave of absence. President of academia at WCIAM; Dean Stockwell, inadvertently canned the potentially best Quidditch magic-school coach in North America. Right now several magic schools and some of North-America's best professional Quidditch teams are franticly searching for Ron to hire him… so his picture is everywhere.

"That's not-good." Kingsley said now very worried.

"I would say not," Phoebe said with scorn. "If English hire-killers manage to murder the children of America's best chance at the Quidditch world-cup, which is how American sports magazines describes Ron's '_**special skill**_'. Well you know how militant some countries feel about their soccer teams… this could lead to violence… a trade embargo, if not open war.

"It would also muck-up our Celtic Destiny's plans for Rose and Hugo," Harry added which really got the Minister of Magic upset.

"Ron can't go into hiding; the yanks will regard it as Quidditch-sabotage," Kingsley said.

"Gentlemen, the situation is far more serious than you realize." Phoebe said sternly. "The American deity of destiny also has plans for Ron. Speaking her will through the tribunal back in California… she has declared Ron Weasley to be part of the payback for the magical resources sent to England by Canada during the Grindelwald-Nazi uprising of the 1940's. The huge national life-debt incurred… by the magical aid sent during that war has never been repaid.

"But, why Ron… of all people," Kingsley said surprised

"Always the tone of surprise," Phoebe sneered, "no-wonder he has self-worth issues', what am I saying? For is it not often said; that the village never sees the greatness of a home-grown prophet.

"Ron's to be a seer?" Harry asked eagerly.

"No you idiot, that was a metaphor," Phoebe spat in contempt, "how in hell did you beat Tom Riddle?

"HEY; watch-it?," Harry said feeling insulted.

"The personal part of me being here has to due with the Destiny of the American magical guardians against the Demons from the underworld. The Charmed ones are three sisters, which battle with Hell keeping the Demons from conquering the mortal world. Once every generation the battle resumes, with new charmed-ones and demons fighting for the upper-hand.

"My turn as a charmed-one has come to an end, but I still have one last duty to perform. I have been chosen by fate to be the mother of the next generation of charmed-ones. At first; I was suppose to mate with a demi-god son of Cupid, but when the Olympians collectively… shot that idea down. That meant that destiny had to revert to: 'PLAN B'

"Oh-No, let me guess… _**Plan 'B'**_ is you wanting the same surrogate deal that Hermione got," Harry said hotly offended on Ron's behalf. "As the British-deity of destiny already has Ron in the role of daddy-daycare for Rose and Hugo… you yanks decided to _**pile-on**_ to his burden by adding three more nippers? While you run about pursuing your career, no-doubt. So tell us… where are the eggs?

"Little-boy you're really starting to piss-me-off," Phoebe snarled. "Just because Granger's ambitions blinded her to the value of a nice-guy, doesn't mean the entire female gender is equally-mercenary or as stupid.

"Ron told me about you," Harry retorted with equal heat. "The Beautiful American-siren; the sea-nymph or mermaid marooned on land; I don't remember which… that has closed her heart to love so tightly… only a half-mortal son of cupid; the offspring of the goddess of love her-self …can hope to pry it open again.

"You're so wrong about so much…

"Am I, really?' Harry replied, "But now that even Cupid has found the task impossible, why is it that you turn-up here and try to charm my best-mate into doing the deed remotely.

"Wrong Potter, the charmed ones; can't be made in a test tube, each one must be conceived as an expression of genuine heart-felt love within the bonds of matrimony.

"You turned him down in Vancouver as cold as Granger did here in London, he told me so," Harry spat back. "A colossal waste of his time and yours… wasn't that how you put it. The sparks were **all** on his side; because you're incapable of feeling love… at all …isn't that right?"

"I thought that I was 'guided' to Vancouver to heal, but it was actually a test arranged by the elders; to see if a very special wizard could do what a demi-god refused to do.

"But all he got for his trouble was a giant case of romantic blue-balls. Ron was the one who got his hear broken because you don't have a heart to break and now he's given-up on love **too**, Gee-wiz …Mrs. Turner… Thanks.

"He didn't fail… not completely; Ron got his foot in the door… love wise. It actually surprised me how far he got in and the elders were equally delighted.

"Tell your elders for me, that my best-mate has done a journeyman's job over here, carrying me through many trials so I could do what destiny demanded. And as a reward, he had to watch the girl he loved; surrender her virginity to his worst enemy. She bore Draco a son, and I dishonored his sister, and yet he bares neither Hermione nor me… any ill-will. Do you have any idea what caliber of man could do that? Take the test-tube nippers of his lost love and happily raise them… all alone.

"Ron's left the country and has Granger's test-tube kids with him, I got that, I was listening," Phoebe said contentiously, pointedly ignoring Harry's other question, "and this Draco asshole, now plans to kill the father and the children marked by English-destiny. I get that too. What I don't understand is why you don't take out this threat before he acts?

"The Malfoy's aren't they type to get convicted of anything". Kingsley said regretfully.

"You're going to wait for Ron's murder and his kids… before you lift a finger?" Phoebe said stunned. "No wonder you turn to school-kids to take out Dark-Wizards."

"Now see here, young woman!"

"Once Ron and his children are on North American soil, they will be under North American magical jurisdiction. Our goddess of destiny is clearly more proactive than yours. We Americans and Canadian's have a concept of self-defense and if that means hiring hit-wizards of our own …to _**take-out**_ the source of a threat …believe me we will.

"She can't speak for the entire North American Continent," Kingsley said in a self-reassuring tone.

"I was sent here by the elders, the tribunal and North American destiny, with the backing of the Olympians that prefer Ron as daddy to the next-generation of the charmed ones… rather than a demi-god from their own ranks.

"Now gentlemen, you can't believe that while on such an important mission, for magical America… that I'm not being carefully watched by the fates of all three countries. You can't also think that the British sister of American destiny is pleased that her extra-efforts to arrange for Ron to come back here and create Rose and Hugo. Only to have her hard-work ruined by some self-loving blonde, an arrogant, pure-blood, sadist and his workaholic spouse.

Raising her hands in the air Phoebe began to chat in an ancient tongue, with only part of her magical-plea being made in English; "I call on all the powers that set these multiple destinies in motion, to strike-down the threat to the shared father of Anglo-American fate". Her aura then glowed golden briefly and when she finished Phoebe collapsed onto the floor exhausted.

"Young woman what spell did you cast.

"I didn't cast a spell," Phoebe replied greatly-fatigued. "I need my other sisters and only together can we make magic. I just informed the 'powers' that sent me here… of your gross-incompetence and they'll take it from here. I don't think your Celtic fates are going to be too happy with you.

"Call them off,"

"Leash the Malfoy Dog or kill it," Phoebe spat back. "Help me fulfill my destiny, get me to Ron …NOW."

OoOoOoOo

"Harry… Harry" Hermione shouted franticly…as she burst into his office. Her appearance was in great disarray, her torn clothing and bruised face indicated a very recent battle. Seeing her friend she rushed over to him oblivious to the others in the room.

"Harry, you've got to stop Draco, he's gone mental. He knows where Ron is, knows how he's going back to Canada. He's also gotten in touch with some of his old Death Eater associates… from Hogwarts; and intends to settle things once and for all with Ron.

"What… Where …?

"Container-ship, Queen Margaret, with three passengers on board …leaving the French port of Le Havre bound for Montréal Canada at ten this morning,

"Harry looked up at the clock it read ten-fifteen the ship had already sailed. "He's too late Hermione… that ship sailed fifteen minutes ago,

"He boasted to me how he was going to do it. He has an agent already on-board, and once the ship has clears the harbor, his hit-wizards will floo to the ship and kill everyone on-board. Draco is beyond reasoning with; he seriously believes that he is above the law.

"Why didn't you stop him?

"I got a black eye and stupefied trying; I only broke-free just now.

"Are you pressing charges for Assault?

"Heavens No, I just want him stopped.

"Lady Malfoy… your tieing our hands," Harry snarled

"No; Harry, Draco is mentally unbalanced and this is a case of temporary insanity. As my husband's principal legal advocate…"

"Hermione listen to your-self, think of who you're defending …he beat you …his own wife…"

"I deserved it …I taunted him, rubbed his face in …"

"Bullocks …Hermione, Harry interrupted. "You didn't deserve any of this… "

"I can't turn on him; it's in the pre-nub I signed before we got married. I have to protect him in things like this …or I lose all my magic.

"You made a deal with the devil, has it been worth it?"

"Professionally yes, personally no," Hermione admitted sadly.

"Well then?"

"I knew I what I was getting in Draco, I knew he use to beat his Hogwarts Girlfriends.

"Sweet Merlin… Hermione… why then?

"Ambition is never granted without a heavy price."

OoOoOoOo

"Harry …Harry; we've got a problem," Kingsley interrupted. "I've contacted the French Ministry, and they have the same problem we have. Apparating onto a moving ship is impossible.

"I didn't say apparate… I said floo," Hermione explained irritated. "One of Malfoy industries research-companies has been experimenting with a mobile floo connection… where only one end is fixed at an unmoving location. From that anchor and a portable port-fire hex on the other end… transportation to anywhere …even a moving object is possible.

"Draco explained this to me in-between hits to my face. His agent in place on-board lights a port-fire in a doorway which simulates a fireplace and a floo connection is established. The connection is unstable and therefore highly dangerous but worth the risk to my husband… if he can kill my abomination-children with it.

"So he's after Rose and Hugo primarily.

"And Ron if he gets in the way, which he will… of course …the Prat," Hermione said. "That they were created abnormally …against the laws of nature… is the legal loophole that Draco plans to use to get away with murder.

"That's absurd.

"Not really, Draco has been unusually clever in this. The legal department warned me ahead of time that the legal status of a surrogate produced witch and wizard would be a legal minefield. Secondly attacking anyone on the high seas is also a legal grey-area. Exactly who has jurisdiction on the high seas, has never been codified by the _**confederation of international wizardry**_", Kingsley pointed out. "On land legal authority is clearly defined on open water …"

"So Draco gets away with it again, Dammit!" Harry said furiously.

"And as we have no way to apparate onto a moving ship, Malfoy could kill everyone on-board and floo back to London while we stand-by helpless.

OoOoOoOo

"Suddenly Harry's fireplace roared into life. As a very familiar voice was heard pouring out from the flames;

"Bloody-hell Ferret this isn't working, I can't see a ruddy thing," Ron said in an angry tone.

"It's not designed to make cross-connection floo network calls… you idiot, just transport people." Draco's voice dripping with pain was heard to say in the background.

"Ron …Ron is that you mate?" Harry shouted rushing over to the fireplace.

"Yeah Harry, had a spot of trouble on this end," Ron replied in a tired voice. "Six dead among the crew and three former death-eaters also bought-it, I also took one prisoner, and if you in the ministry want to clean-up this mess …meet the ship at the port of Plymouth in southern England, for that's where the French captain is taking Malfoy… the British pirate/terrorist that I captured… to stand trial.

"You killed three death-eaters single-handed?" Kingsley said astonished.

"Always the tone of surprise, and it was four attackers not three," Ron said in a resigned tone, "but I just couldn't bring myself to kill the ferret… Mione wouldn't have liked it.

"Thank-you Ron," Hermione said in a relieved soft whisper… not loud enough for Ron to hear.

"Do want me to step through?"

"Naw, this thing looks awful-dodgy to me. I got things handled on this end. Just meet the ship at Plymouth with a clean-up crew will-ya?" I used the cutting curse a-lot and there's blood everywhere.

"Are the nippers alright?"

"Harry, really; don't be daft? No-body …and I mean no-body; hurts Weasley babies… not on my watch they don't?"

"The green-flames ceased abruptly as the connection was cut. Kingsley rushed out of the room to arrange for Aurors to meet the ship, while Harry sat back on his heels shaking his head at yet another close call for his best mate. Behind him a most unusual conversation took place.

"So you're his Granger?" Phoebe said looking over her rival critically. "The trailer is far better than the feature.

"I beg your pardon?" Hermione replied confused.

"You should, after all the hype I've heard about the smartest witch in Britain. In the flesh you're… a big disappointment. What **my** Ron ever saw in you is beyond me," Phoebe said clearly disenchanted,

"You're not exactly seeing me at my best." Hermione said self-consciously looking down at her torn dress.

"Oh I realize that, I'm sure cleaned-up… you're considered borderline pretty.

"I beg your pardon?" Hermione said now feeling highly insulted. "Who exactly are you?"

"I'm an American witch that did the same thing you did. I walked away from the nicest-guy in the world to marry someone I thought could give me what I had to have in life. You at least **knew** when you dumped Ron that the guy you picked instead was a real-bastard …all I knew …on the other hand; when I walked away from the same Weasley you did… was that the father of my children's surname began with a 'C'

"That's just pathetic,"

"Prophecy is always short on details." Phoebe said with a resigned shrug of her shoulders.

OoOoOoOo

"Harry… Harry …snap-out of it," Kingsley said quickly re-entering the room. "Apparate home and grab your broom, I going to send a team out to the ship before it reaches Plymouth.

"The Muggle police will use helicopters to get 'Bobbies' on-board long before that happens," Harry pointed-out

"Helicopters?," Kingsley asked confused.

"Muggle flying machines," Hermione said entering the conversation. "About my Husband, Minister, what happened on the open sea is not within M.O.M. legal jurisdiction.

"I'm well-aware of that Lady Malfoy, and I'm equally aware that for the sake of the _**Statue of Secrecy**_, as enacted by the International Confederation of Wizards the Ministry will obliterate all evidence of the spell-combat that took place on-board that container ship. The terrorist theory of the French Captain will help us to cover this-up easily.

"However, your family will not get out of this business entirely Scott-free. You husband has attempted to destroy the fully developed eggs that the Ministry purchased from him… in direct violation of a magically-binding promise to the contrary. There are finical penalties in the one hundred thousand galleons range in connection with his breach of promise. I shall put an instant freeze on all Malfoy assets until that penalty with interest is paid in full.

"Minister, that's half the Malfoy family's total assets," Hermione said in protest.

"But it doesn't affect you part ownership in your precious Law Firm; Lady Malfoy and after-all… it's a small price to pay for a _**get-out-of-jail**_ free card," Kingsley said sternly. "Oh and by-the-way… Lady Malfoy, the Ministry will consider **any** further attempt on the life of Mr. Weasley or his children… irregardless of who does the deed …as being orchestrated by your husband.

"Without direct proof, you can't.

"Perhaps not, but I can tie-up your assets in courts for years while you prove otherwise," Kingsley said in deadly earnest. "Just because I can't charge your husband directly with attempted murder, doesn't mean I can make an official record of what happened at sea available to the International Confederation high Court as part of my petition to close that '_**high-seas**_' legal loophole.

"I must protest, that's the same as a conviction."

"Yeah, how about that." Kingsley said as Hermione left the room in a speechless huff; "Good-riddance to smelly rubbish."

"Will that stop them from making further attempts, I wonder." Harry asked rhetorically.

"Possibly, the best punishment for Draco is in hitting his wallet," Kingsley said. "The Malfoy's are now loads-worse-off finically than they were just two months ago. Risking the rest of his gold to kill Rose and Hugo isn't worth the satisfaction gained.

"One can only hope".

"And Harry, when you get to the ship, you won't find Ron Weasley on the passenger manifest. He was travelling under an alias, provided by his father Arthur.

"What name is Ron using?"

"Arthur Weasley kept the first names for his son and his grand-nippers, just to avoid confusion, but he changed the last name on all three Muggle-passports to conceal their identity… not that it worked in the end.

"Kingsley I've got to go …so end the suspense …what name is he using; Harry asked becoming annoyed.

"It's Catchlove, Ronald Bilius Catchlove… with the same for Rose and Hugo.

"Right then, I looking for the Catchlove's… gotch-ya," Harry said throwing on his Auror robes.

"Harry, do you mind if I tag-along?" Phoebe said in a drolly amused tone

"He turned you down once already about the coaching position, but sure… you're welcome to give it another-go". Harry said standing at the door of his office eager to get started.

"Did I ever mention that Destiny in America has a wicked sense of humor?" Phoebe Halliwell Turner asked Harry as side by side they left his office… Her mind reeled with the irony. "_Catchlove… begins with a 'C.' Ron… you can run, but you can't deny your fate or mine. I'm coming to claim my destiny and all I have to do is get it… is __catch-love_!

**The end**


End file.
